Cassian and the 3 diablos

The Market

When Cassian dive bombed back to the ground, Emerie was trying not to scream in horror, her nails still clinging onto Cassian's leather jacket. Cassian couldn't help but chuckle at her current state. "It's called a dive bomb, I'll teach it to you later." Emerie only stuck her tongue out at him and folded her arms.

Once the two of them made it back to the campsite, Cassian saw that his horse was still tied to the log from before. But something was...off. Cassian, realizing that he was still holding Emerie in his arms, placed her down and walked over to his horse. "Hey boy, what's-" he stopped short when he heard some sniffling and crying. Emerie gasped behind him and ran towards Nesta and Gwyn.

Nesta was putting some pressure on Gwyn's head with a handkerchief. Gwyn's face was covered in her hands but it sounded like she was crying. Emerie began to hug Gwyn from her left side. "What happened?" Emerie asked as Nesta shook her head. "That stupid horse kicked her."

Cassian glared at his horse who sighed and looked away. "I told you to watch them, not hurt them!" Phillip made a sound that sounded like a teenager sighing heavily at his parents. Cassian rolled his own eyes. "I'll deal with you in the morning." he said going over to the trio when Nesta came in front of him to stop him. "No! Get away from her!" Cassian was too pissed by his horse to take this shit from Nesta. "Nesta, move. I just wanna help."

"Yeah cause your horse definitely proved your innocence." Nesta replied, not backing down. Cassian looked behind her noticing that Gwyn hasn't stopped crying. Emerie was trying to comfort her with some kind words, but it seems as though her words are having no effect on the water nymph. Cassian turned back to Nesta. "Look, if I can't help her, she could have a scar. Or maybe an infection."

"What's an infection?" Nesta asked. Cassian was about to retaliate with her but it took him a minute to realize that she was serious. "An infection can spread if you have a deep cut anywhere on your body. In this case, Gwyn might have an infection on her head. It can also result into permanent damage."

"Permanent what?" These girls have no idea what is happening to their friend. It's a miracle that they are still alive. Cassian, taking a deep breath, sighed and explained "Meaning that your friend could have a disease that can't be cured. She might have to stay at a hospital for a long time." Now at that, Nesta understood.

Nesta shook her head violently and her own tears started to fall. "No no no! Don't take her! Please don't!"

"I won't. But I need to see how badly hurt she is." Nesta looked back at her friends, then to Cassian and with a short nod, she stepped aside. Cassian walked towards the weeping girl and kneeled on one knee. "Hey Gwyn." he said as Gwyn sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "Cassian?"

"Yeah, that's me. You mind if I look at your head?" Gwyn didn't know how to answer but she nodded all the same. Cassian looked at Emerie who was still hugging her friend. "Emerie, I'm gonna need you to remove the handkerchief." Emerie took the napkin away from Gwyn's head to reveal a horse shoe shaped mark. It was covered in blood and the skin was torn from the scalp. Cursing silently, Cassian picked up the injured nymph and turned to Nesta. "Gwyn's injury is a lot more complex than I thought. We need to hurry to the market before the infection spreads through the blood stream. On the horse, now."

The girls didn't need to be told twice. Cassian placed Gwyn on the horse, but she clinge onto Nesta not wanting the horse to kick her again. Cassian untied the horse and got on top of Phillip. "You better hope there isn't a buyer looking for a horse." Cassian said to the horse. He kicked Phillip's side and off they went.

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The market was packed at night. Everyone hurrying to get what they want. Eager to return to their families with a prize. Something to be earned and not taken. A place where things were almost free. Sure the food is expensive but at least the clinic for treatment was free. Which is the exact reason why Cassian came here.

Cassian and the diablos were running passed everyone trying hard not to bump into them. Cassian didn't bother with the prison chain because it would only cause suspicions from the people at the market. Plus, Emerie and Nesta were already keeping pace with him on their way to the clinic. Cassian still had Gwyn in his arms. "C-Cassian i-it hurts." Gwyn said sniffing a bit holding onto Cassian like a monkey. Once Cassian and the others stopped in front of the clinic doors, Cassian spoke. "It's okay Gwyn. It'll be okay." Cassian burst the door open.

They were greeted with a shocked room. The waiting room was filled with patients already. Their was an Illryian mother with her son in her arms, a High fae man with a broken arm, a human old lady with her daughter beside her. They all looked at Cassian and the girls. Cassian ignored them all and went to the front counter. The woman that was working there gasped at Gwyn's current state. "What happened?"

"She was kicked by a horse." He could've sworn the man's gaze harden when he heard that. The counter lady called one of the doctors done and a middle aged man rush down to Cassian. "Please help her." Cassian said placing Gwyn in his arms. Gwyn flinched at the doctors touch but she didn't care. She was already hurt to begin with.

Nesta glared at the doctor and pointed an accussing finger at him. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you." Emerie, who was at her side, also glared at him in a way of saying, That's a promise." The doctor paid them no heed and only took Gwyn into an available room.

Cassian turned to the girls. "Come on, let's find a place to sit." He said as Emerie looked around and sat on the first seat she could find. Nesta sat next to her while Cassian sat on Emerie's other side. Emerie sniffled a bit and wiped away the tears that threaten to fall. "Will she be okay?" she asked so innocently it took everything in Cassian's body to not cling to his own heart. "We'll know more when the doctor comes back."

"I don't like this." The two of them turned to Nesta. Nesta was looking down on her knees, her hands were now fists and she was shaking like a leaf. But it wasn't out of fear Cassian realized, but out of anger. "This feeling, this pain. It's so...familiar. Like it happened before." Nesta said, when she suddenly gasped.

She remembered now. Her mother. Her father. Her life was gone the moment her mother died. The moment her father said he never wanted to see her again. The moment she ran away. Her life was over. And now, it was about to happen again. She couldn't do it. Not this time.

Without warning, Nesta jumped off the chair and ran out of the clinic. "NESTA!" Emerie and Cassian called out in sync. Cassian got up and went to follow her but he then turned back to Emerie who was about to do the same. "No, stay here."

"B-But w-what about-"

"I'll get Nesta. You stay here. If the doctors tell you that you can see Gwyn, you need to be there for her. Okay?" Cassian said as Emerie looked back at the direction that Gwyn and the doctor went and nodded. "Okay." Cassian went back to Emerie and kneeled down. "Hey Emerie, listen to me." Emerie had her full attention on Cassian. "If anything goes wrong, if some bandits try to harm you, you take Gwyn and fly out of here. Understand?" Emerie had tears in her eyes, but she nodded anyway. "I will, I promise."

"Good girl." Cassian replied, ruffling her hair and bit and speeding off to find Nesta.